Today the Earth is closest to the Sun, a point called perihelion. We will be about 147,098,290km (91,402,639miles) from the Sun. Compare this to the 152,098,232km (94,509,459miles) we will be at aphelion on July 4th, a difference of about 5,411,169km (3,362,344miles) occurs throughout one orbit.
It may seem odd that we are actually at the closest for the middle of northern winter, you just have to remember that proximity to the Sun is not the cause of the seasons. The seasons are caused by the axial tilt of the Earth, creating short and long days throughout the year, with a resulting change in the angle and intensity of the sunlight.
| 2012 Solstices and Equinoxes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Perihelion | Jan 5 03:59UT | Jan 4 18:59AST |
| Spring Equinox | Mar 20 05:14UT | Mar 19 21:14AST |
| Summer Solstice | Jun 20 23:09UT | Jun 20 15:09ADT |
| Apehelion | Jul 4 10:59UT | Jul 4 15:59ADT |
| Fall Equinox | Sep 22 14:49UT | Sep 22 06:49ADT |
| Winter Solstice | Dec 21 11:12UT | Dec 21 02:12AST |
Source: USNO Data Services Website and the NASA Sky Calendar
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